When you want to be better at something the fastest way is to learn from others.

I just got back from the Michigan Twisters Group meeting where I go to meet others that share my love of balloon twisting.

While I was there I met Scott Bevis who was new to the group...he's been twisting balloons in Clarkston, MI for a couple of years but didn't know anyone else in the business.

He practices, learns from the internet, reads about balloon animals and has some impressive skills but didn't have anyone to share with.

He had a question about busking at restaurants. Sitting at my table was Steve Ferguson (he did the small flowers in the pic) who has done a lot of restaurant work and gave Scott all the information he was looking for.

We also shared best practices on how we set up our bags of balloons, work a line of kids and what does and doesn't work at parties. We even chatted about pricing and contracts.

I also learned something new about twisting.

I was talking with fellow twister Carolynn Hayman at POP! Designs and Creations who showed me something called X-weave which she used to create the big flower above. This new weave technique is going to take my ballooning in a whole new direction.

We come from different backgrounds which is what makes our experiences more valuable to each other. Together we make a Smart Swarm with a fantastic Cognitive Surplus to share.

This weekend I attended the Fellowship of Christian Magicians convention. A place where balloon twisters, face painters, magicians and jugglers gather to learn, share and exchange ideas. Did I mention that I had a fantastic time!!!

I'm a balloonist and love to twist, this past weekend I got to work with some of the best in my trade: Andrew McDonald, John Holmes, Joe White and Steve Raeburn just to name a few. I even took a class on juggling clubs, which I plan to become more proficient at.

The seminars and workshops were all a great mix of learning and sharing. Later in the evening we were all invited to attend a jam session at a local hotel where there was even more activity.

During the jam, magicians showed how they do some of their tricks to colleagues and the balloonists were swapping ideas, while trying to improve creations. A group of face painters showed each other ideas in order to quickly add and remove paint from skin.

We were all sharing best practices of what we learned, not just in our craft but also how we would deal with large crowds, eager children and the occasional uncomfortable situation.

One of the best treats for me was the key note speaker, Randal Munson, who spoke about Innovation and Creativity. He addressed how to keep it alive where you work and in your everyday life. I highly recommend hiring him for you next event!!

This was a weekend of continuous improvement for me, not just for my balloon twisting but also on a personal level. The interaction, communication and sharing with others has made me eager for more of the same. Every six weeks a group called the Michigan Twisters meet to share ideas just like this. You can bet I will be there again soon.